Joachim Kunstmann is a distinguished Researcher specializing in Protestant Theology/Religious Education . His work bridges religious educational theory , religion and aesthetics , and popular culture analysis. Research Priorities : Religious education, educational theory, religion and aesthetics, religious psychology, popular culture, modern life orientation Publications : Over 25 articles and 8 books, including Subjektorientierte Religionspädagogik (2018) and Religion und Erziehung (2002) His scholarly output reveals a consistent focus on interdisciplinary approaches integrating theological foundations with contemporary cultural analysis . Recent works examine visual and auditory dimensions of religious experience , while earlier publications address postmodern theological frameworks and educational philosophy . Kunstmann's contributions include lexicon articles on concepts like reality and subjectivity , demonstrating his commitment to theoretical clarification in practical theology. His empirical-theological analyses connect religious pedagogy with modern psychological and sociological realities .
Jonathan Weider serves as an Academic Councillor at the University of Bamberg's Faculty of Protestant Theology within the Department of Systematic Theology, concurrently holding the leadership role of Managing Director for the Dietrich Bonhoeffer Research Center for Public Theology. His academic profile bridges systematic theological inquiry with public engagement, emphasizing interdisciplinary collaboration across humanities and scientific domains. Research centers on resilience, pain, and bitterness within Christian tradition, utilizing interdisciplinary frameworks to examine transformative potential in traumatic experiences. Key specializations include ecumenical hermeneutics, political theology, affect theory in social conflicts, and sacramental embodiment studies. His work actively integrates psychological, anthropological, and postcolonial perspectives into theological ethics. Publication trends (2018-2025) reveal escalating interdisciplinary focus, particularly in pain-resilience research. The 2025 co-edited volume with Springer establishes humanities-natural science dialogue, while the 2023 decolonization chapter pioneers metaphor analysis in ecumenism. Earlier works (2018-2021) systematically explore political judgment formation, baptismal embodiment, and theological emotion cultivation, demonstrating consistent attention to theology's practical societal applications. As Managing Director of the Dietrich Bonhoeffer Research Center, Weider directs institutional strategy for public theology initiatives, fostering research on theology's role in contemporary societal discourse and ethical challenges through collaborative projects and academic networks.
Laura Vrana is an Associate Professor in the English Department at the University of South Alabama's College of Arts and Sciences. Her research specializes in African American literature and poetry, with particular focus on Black women poets, literary recognition dynamics, and institutional constraints in contemporary poetry. Research Expertise Vrana's scholarship examines how American literary institutions since 1980 have shaped Black women's poetic expression. Her work explores themes of racial justice, historical memory, and innovative poetics through frameworks including: Black feminist literary criticism Poetics of institutional recognition Experimental forms in African American poetry Interdisciplinary approaches to literary studies Publications and Awards Her 2024 book Pitfalls of Prestige analyzes tensions between inclusion and constraint in literary recognition. Vrana's articles appear in leading journals including Callaloo , Tulsa Studies in Women's Literature , and MELUS , where she received the 2022 Katherine Newman Best Essay Award for her analysis of Thylias Moss's poetic innovations. Projects and Contributions She contributed to the Mellon Foundation-funded Remarkable Receptions podcast exploring Ralph Ellison's legacy and has published critical reviews and book chapters on African American poetics across multiple historical periods.
Kira Jumet is an Associate Professor of Government at Hamilton College. Her work focuses on comparative politics, Middle East politics, and social movements, particularly examining the role of emotions in protest mobilization during the 2011 and 2013 Egyptian uprisings. She is the author of the book Contesting the Repressive State: Why Ordinary Egyptians Protested During the Arab Spring (Oxford University Press, 2017), which synthesizes her research on authoritarian regimes and democratization. Educational Background Ph.D. in Political Science from Rutgers University. M.A. in Middle East Studies from The American University in Cairo. A.B. in International Relations and Middle East Studies from Brown University. Research Trends : Jumet’s scholarship explores the intersections of social movements, regional security, and qualitative methodologies. Her work highlights how emotional dynamics and authoritarian resilience shape protest participation in the Middle East, with a focus on Egypt and the broader Islamicate world. Professional Affiliations American Political Science Association Middle East Studies Association National Conference of Black Political Scientists
Judith Thissen is an Associate Professor at Utrecht University 's Department of Media and Culture Studies, Faculty of Humanities. Trained in Paris (Film Studies at Paris 8, Archaeology at Paris 1), she earned her PhD in Arts and Humanities from Utrecht University. Her work bridges cinema history, social history, urban studies, and Jewish studies. PhD: Utrecht University (Arts and Humanities) MA: Paris 8 (Film Studies) BA: Paris 1 (Archaeology) Thissen specializes in early cinema's role in social and cultural transformations. She examines Jewish immigrant film culture in New York (1880-1914), rural European cinema (1920-1970), and digital humanities applications. Her current project, Kol Nidre on Broadway, Jazz Singers in Shul , explores cinema's influence on Jewish religious modernization. Recent publications focus on urban cultural politics, rural film venues, and ethnic media practices. She co-edited Cinema Beyond the City , the first anthology on European rural film culture (BFI, 2017). Key themes include cinema's public sphere, hygiene discourses, and comparative historical analysis. Scientific recognition includes a Max-Weber-Kolleg Senior Fellowship (2020/21) and the Jury Boekman Dissertatieprijs (2012). She teaches in Utrecht's Media & Culture bachelor and Media, Art and Performance Studies master's programs. Thissen actively contributes to digital humanities through networks like DICIS (Digital Cinema Studies), Digital Yiddish Theater Project , and HoMER (History of Moviegoing, Exhibition and Reception). Her research integrates comparative and interdisciplinary methodologies.
Simon Ditchfield is a Professor of Early Modern History at the University of York , renowned for his expertise in the intersection of urban and religious culture in the Italian peninsula (1300-1800). He has held significant roles, including Chair of the Departmental Research Committee, and is a co-editor of the Sacro/santo book series. His research explores the making of Roman Catholicism as a global religion, with a focus on Jesuit missions and Counter-Reformation dynamics. Education: BA (York), MPhil/PhD (Warburg Institute), Fellow of the Royal Historical Society (1998-) Projects: Conversion Narratives in Early Modern Europe (AHRC 2010-13), Papacy and People: The Making of Roman Catholicism as a World Religion (OUP), and Daniello Bartoli SJ and Global History (Leverhulme Fellow 2014-15) Simon’s research spans global Catholicism , hagiography , and missionary networks , as evidenced by his 2024 article Exemplary Lives in the Making of a World Religion and 2023 Appropriation and Agency in Roman Catholicism . His work often critiques traditional narratives of Trent and emphasizes cross-cultural exchanges, particularly in Jesuit missions across Persia, New France, and the Asia-Pacific. He has received prestigious fellowships, including a British Academy Research Leave Fellowship (2006-08) and a Leverhulme Fellowship (2014-15). Scientific Awards: Roland Bainton Prize (2020), Accademia Ambrosiana (1998-), FRHistS (1998-) Editorial Roles: Advisory editor for Catholic Historical Review , Archivum Societatem Societatis Iesu , Church History , and Archivum historiae pontificiae He supervises doctoral research on topics like Domestic Religion in Florence , Sacred History in Brittany/Wales , and Music in the English Catholic Community . His leadership includes directing the Heritage Studies as Applied History project (1996-99) and co-editing the Companion to Early Modern Rome (2019), which won the Roland Bainton Prize.
Celal Aslan is an Assistant Professor at Gaziantep University's Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Department of History. He specializes in General Turkish History, Turkish Cultural History, Central Asian History, and Turkish Steppe Culture, with a focus on pre-Islamic Turkic epics, Khazar studies, and Caspian trade networks. PhD in History from Gaziantep University (2020) Master's in History with thesis (2013) His research explores Turkic interactions with external civilizations, including analyses of: Military systems in Avar and Khazar societies Legal and cultural elements in historical travelogues (e.g., Hitaynâme) Religious movements like Bahâîlik and Nestorian Christianity in Turkic contexts Socio-political dynamics in Qajar Iran and Pahlavi-era Azerbaijan He has supervised two master's theses and contributed to 11 books/chapters, primarily focusing on Turkic heritage and historical continuity.
Jun.-Prof. Dr. Jan Rüggemeier holds dual academic appointments as a Researcher at the University of Bern's Institute for New Testament Studies (since 2021) and as Junior Professor for New Testament at the University of Bonn's Protestant Theological Faculty (appointed 2021). His academic trajectory includes positions as Senior Lecturer at the University of Zurich (2018-2020) and Postdoctoral Researcher at Bern. His theological education includes studies at Heidelberg, Tübingen, and Oxford, culminating in a First Theological Exam (2007). Research interests focus on methodological innovations in biblical interpretation: Cognitive-narratological approaches to New Testament texts, particularly Markan Christology Application of spatial theory (Raumkonzeption) to Pauline literature Social history reconstructions of early Christian communities in urban contexts Interdisciplinary integration of hermeneutics, narratology, and exegetical practice Publications demonstrate consistent focus on narrative methodology applied to New Testament texts, with recent works emphasizing cognitive frameworks (2019-2021), spatial analysis (2018-2020), and social-historical reconstructions of early Christianity. Article themes evolved from foundational methodological studies (2017) toward applications in Markan theology, Pauline networks, and Hellenistic urban contexts. Awards and grants include: Postdoc Forschungskredit (University of Zurich, 2020) Manfred Lautenschlaeger Award for Theological Promise (2019) Armin Schmitt Award for Biblical Studies (2017) German Academic Scholarship (2003-2007) Professional memberships include the Zurich Center for the Ancient World, Society of Biblical Literature, and European Narratology Network. He co-directs research projects on cognitive linguistics and New Testament narrative, having organized international conferences including the St. Andrews-Zurich Seminar on biblical canons (2019).
Marcell Steuernagel serves as Associate Professor of Church Music at Southern Methodist University, concurrently directing both the Master of Sacred Music Program and Doctor of Pastoral Music Program. His academic leadership bridges theological education with practical music ministry training. His educational trajectory includes a Ph.D. in Church Music (ABD) from Baylor University (2015-2018), Master of Music in Composition from Brazil's Federal University of Parana (2006-2008), and Bachelor of Music in Conducting and Composition from Parana School of Music and Arts (1998-2003), complemented by specialized Brazilian Guitar & Jazz Improvisation training. Steuernagel's research interrogates the intersections of music, theology, and cultural identity through ethnomusicological and performance studies frameworks. His work centers on decolonizing church music narratives by amplifying Global South perspectives, particularly examining how race, place, and embodiment shape congregational singing practices. He investigates pneumatological dimensions of popular worship music while analyzing cross-cultural transmission of hymns like 'Amazing Grace' across linguistic boundaries. His scholarship consistently challenges Western hegemony in sacred music through critical frameworks of intellectual property, ritual embodiment, and spatial politics. His publication pattern reveals a concentrated focus on Global South epistemologies since 2021, with recurring themes of decolonization, embodied ritual, and cross-cultural musical exchange. The research demonstrates methodological diversity spanning ethnographic observation, theological reflection, performance analysis, and critical theory application to congregational music practices worldwide. Member, Hymn Society (2019) Member, Performance Studies International (2017) Member, Society for Christian Scholarship in Music (2017) Member, Brazilian Studies Association (2017) Member, Society for Ethnomusicology (2017) Student Research Scholarship, Christian Congregational Music Conference (2017) Baylor Libraries Summer Teaching Fellowship (2017) Baylor Conyers Scholar (2016-2017) Gerald and Kathy Dunlap Endowed Internship (2016) Steuernagel maintains an extensive teaching portfolio across North and South America, having instructed at Baylor University, Baptist University of the Americas, and multiple Brazilian institutions including Federal University of Parana and Parana School of Music. His courses span church music history, composition, worship theology, and musical pedagogy. While specific grant details aren't documented in the source material, his Baylor fellowships and conference awards indicate sustained research funding for projects examining global congregational music practices and theological implications of embodied worship.
Phillip John Usher, Associate Professor of French at New York University, specializes in Renaissance Studies, classical reception, and interdisciplinary explorations of geography, ecology, and visual culture. His research interrogates the complex relationships between literary epics and artistic production during the French Renaissance. Current project: The Humanist Anthropocene Key methodologies: Literary criticism, art history, spatial theory Professor Usher's monograph Epic Arts in the French Renaissance examines visual-literary dissonance in Renaissance epic production, analyzing works by Ronsard, Dolet, and d'Aubigné. His Errance et Cohérence explores Renaissance spatial concepts through transnational literature, while his annotated translation of Ronsard's Franciade revitalized this foundational text for English audiences. Research interests include: Renaissance epic literature and its artistic connections Classical mythological reception in early modern Europe Geographic and ecological thought in 16th-century France Visual studies and architectural representations in literature Recent publications investigate: Crete's symbolic role in Ronsard's Franciade (2017) Prophetic architecture in d'Aubigné's Parisian works (2009) Virgil's influence on 1530s Limoges enamels (2012)
Ronald Eyerman is Professor of Sociology at Yale University and Co-Director of the Center for Cultural Sociology (CCS) alongside Jeffrey C. Alexander, where he shapes interdisciplinary research in cultural sociology. His educational foundation includes: Ph.D. in Sociology from University of Lund, Sweden (1981/1985) M.S. in Industrial and Labor Relations from University of Oregon (1973) B.A. from New School for Social Research (1969) Eyerman's research centers on cultural trauma theory and social movement dynamics, examining how collective suffering shapes identity through cultural narratives. His work bridges political sociology, critical theory, and arts sociology, revealing music's mobilizing role in 20th-century movements and analyzing trauma transmission across historical events like slavery and political assassinations. This interdisciplinary approach reframes understanding of collective memory and cultural identity formation. His publication timeline (1998-2011) demonstrates consistent focus on trauma's cultural dimensions, evolving from music's movement role to cross-case analyses of assassination events and slavery's legacy. Key themes include narrative construction of trauma, social drama transformation, and arts-performance connections in identity politics, often through collaborative frameworks with leading sociologists. As Co-Director of Yale's Center for Cultural Sociology, Eyerman drives methodological innovation in cultural analysis, fostering cross-disciplinary dialogue on trauma, memory, and symbolic power through workshops and collaborative research initiatives that define contemporary cultural sociology.
Dr. Svetlana Erpyleva is a post-doctoral researcher at the Research Centre for East European Studies, University of Bremen (2025–present), funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG). Previously, she held post-doctoral positions at the same institution under KONE Foundation (2024–2025) and as a Humboldt Fellow (2022–2024), as well as a post-doc at the University of Helsinki (2021–2022) and Assistant Professor at the University of Tyumen (2019–2020). Ph.D., Social Sciences, University of Helsinki (2019) MA, Sociology, European University at Saint-Petersburg (2013) BA, Sociology, State University - Higher School of Economics at Saint-Petersburg (2010) Her research focuses on political socialization , political culture , and grassroots politics in Russia, with particular attention to war and society dynamics. She explores how political agency manifests among youth activists under authoritarianism and the role of local activism in civil society development. Her publications analyze trends in Russian wartime society , including climate activism, protest events, and the justification of military aggression in Ukraine. Collaborations with scholars like Eeva Luhtakallio and Oleg Zhuravlev highlight her interdisciplinary approach. Post-doctoral Humboldt Fellowship (2021) Young Russian Scholars Helsinki Fellowship (2019) Visiting Fellowship at Aleksanteri Institute (2020) Research Fellowships at Free University of Berlin (2012) and USC (2017) She contributes to grants from the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG), Kone Foundation, and Volkswagen Foundation, often collaborating with institutions like the Public Sociology Laboratory and Research Centre for East European Studies.
Bruce A. Desmarais, Jr. is an Associate Professor of Political Science at Penn State University with a dual appointment at the Institute for Computational and Data Sciences (ICDS). His academic career demonstrates extensive engagement with policy diffusion networks and computational social science methodologies. His research interests center on policy diffusion , state policy networks , Exponential Random Graph Models , and legislative behavior . Desmarais applies network analysis techniques to understand how policies spread across U.S. states, with particular focus on environmental policy, pandemic responses, and political misinformation. Analysis of his recent publications (2023-2025) reveals a strong emphasis on computational approaches to political networks, with recurring themes in policy diffusion dynamics, social capital formation, civil unrest contagion, and digital political communication. His work frequently employs network science methodologies to analyze complex policy landscapes across state governments. Desmarais has secured significant research funding through the National Science Foundation, including: Active Projects : Digitally Accountable Public Representation (2023-2026), Patterns of State Policy Responses to the Pandemic (2022-2025) Recent Completed Projects : Diffusion of State Policy Responses to COVID-19 (2020-2022), Expanded Framework for Inferring Public Policy Diffusion Networks (2018-2022), DAPPR: Diffusion Analytics for Public Policy Research (2016-2021) His collaborative research demonstrates strong interdisciplinary connections between political science, data science, and network analysis. Current projects focus on digital representation, pandemic policy responses, and network analytics for public policy research.
Trish Audette-Longo is an Assistant Professor at Carleton University's School of Journalism and Communication, specializing in digital journalism and reporting. She holds a PhD in Communication Studies from Concordia University, an MSc in Media, Communication and Development from the London School of Economics and Political Science, and a Bachelor of Journalism from Carleton University. Her research focuses on digital and alternative journalism , climate change communication , and Indigenous media representation , with notable work on the impact of the pandemic on journalism education. She has contributed to academic publications such as the International Journal of Communication and Canadian Journal of Communication . 2022 Faculty of Public Affairs Teaching Fellowship Excellence Award Trish teaches courses including Writing with Style , Introduction to Reporting , and Creative Non-fiction , bridging practical journalism training with critical media analysis.
Lu Zhang is an Associate Professor of Sociology and Global Studies at Temple University's College of Liberal Arts. She holds dual affiliations with the Asian Studies and Global Studies Programs, contributing to interdisciplinary scholarship on labor dynamics in East Asia. Her educational background includes a Ph.D. in Sociology from Johns Hopkins University and a Master's Degree in Sociology from the University of Warwick. These academic foundations support her ethnographic and interview-based research methodology. Dr. Zhang's research centers on global capitalism's impact on work and employment, with particular focus on labor movements, political economy of China, and globalization effects. Her work reveals how capitalist transformations create new forms of oppression and resistance across global, national, and workplace levels. She examines labor unrest patterns, worker agency within global supply chains, and the interplay between capital relocation and labor politics. Her publication portfolio shows consistent engagement with labor dynamics in China's manufacturing sectors, particularly automobiles and electronics. The research demonstrates evolving focus from factory-level worker resistance to broader industrial relocation patterns and transnational labor governance. 2016 Asian and Transnational Studies Book Award (American Sociological Association) 2015 Distinguished Scholarly Book Award Honorable Mention (Labor and Labor Movement Section, ASA) Wiley Top Cited Article 2021-2022 for 'Worker Activism and Enterprise Union Reform in China' Dr. Zhang has secured significant research funding for her ethnographic fieldwork across China's industrial sectors. Her teaching portfolio spans graduate seminars on globalization theories and undergraduate courses examining global development and labor in East Asia. She directs research projects analyzing capital relocation in electronics manufacturing and maintains active collaborations with international scholars studying labor movements.
